The door on Brian MacKenzie’s garage happened to be open Wednesday night and the bear dragged out garbage, leaving a trail of debris, bear droppings in the grass and claw marks on the concrete where it pushed over a cyclone fence.

“I’m more scared for my family,” said MacKenzie. “What happens if I’m not here - and where he is going in the house and where they’re not showing fear of people – that’s where I get concerned.”

Sandra Jonker, regional wildlife manager with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife for Southwest Washington, said the hungry bears are after exposed garbage and pet food.

“But usually when artificial attractants are removed or secured, there’s no longer an interest for the bear to come around and will move on,” she said.

Wildlife is one reason people like living here, but with the kind of damage the bear has caused, McGovern wonders, what’s next?

“It kind of makes me worried, but I definitely would rather have it relocated than eradicated for sure,” he said.

State wildlife experts said they are reluctant to relocate bears right away unless they lose their fear of people, because any bad feeding habits stay with the bears.

Experts said it’s better if everyone locks up any food sources until the bears lose those bad habits and leave to hibernate for the winter.